10 Essentials: Todd Selby

Todd Selby's first book, The Selby Is in Your Place, was filled with creative types in their luxuriously intimate (and enviable) abodes. In the photographer's second book, Edible Selby, out this week, he turns his lens onto another of his passions: food. Specifically, the book is about those who grow, forage, and prepare food in innovative ways, from a cheese maker who herds buffalo in New Zealand to a man who pulls brown rockfish from a San Francisco storm drain.

"I'm a food obsessive," says Selby. "When I travel, it's all about finding new restaurants and dishes. I'm always thinking, 'What are we doing for lunch? What are we doing for dinner? I want to try this place for appetizers.' It's really my passion." And from pink cashmere blazers to cat-print bathing suits, Selby's essentials echo that restless hunt for the next big thing.

1. Miller's Oath Pink Cashmere Blazer

"Miller's Oath makes everything custom, so my girlfriend, Danielle, picked out the colors and the fabric. It's soft like a bunny and has hidden pockets. I wear it with a T-shirt or a white or blue button-down."

2. Louis Vuitton Camera Bag

"When I go to shoots, I bring everything in this bag. If it doesn't fit, it's not coming with me. It's cool; I just roll in and people think I'm going on a trip or something. I've had this for two years, and it's been all over the world with me. I customized it with a stripe."

3. Cognac XO on the Rocks

"I went two years ago for the harvest. I didn't know much about Cognac or the grapes or anything, but when you go see the whole thing, it's romantic. I tried everything when I was there, like Paradis. They had 20,000-euro bottles and some that were 150,000. I didn't like the fancier stuff any better; I liked XO because there's a lot of others that are quite floral, which I'm not into. I really like scotch, and XO has a similar woodiness. When you put it over ice, it's smooth, and that's all I need."

4. Topshop Bathing Suit

"I designed this suit for Topshop, and it came out last summer. I like cat and dog stuff. I was wearing a cat shirt around my neighborhood the other day and all these people were high-fiving me. I've been doing the cat thing for two years now, so I'm looking for a new chapter. I'm thinking hamster or guinea pig—that could be next."

5. Mast Brothers Chocolate Bar

"I love Mast Brothers chocolate. It's dark like maple syrup. I designed the packaging for this one: It's all dogs, but it's total nonsense and fun—dogs can't eat chocolate, from what I understand."

6. Edible Selby

"This book has all the food shoots I've been doing all over the world. Some were for T Magazine, but most of them have never been seen in America. On the cover is Eric Warner from Hartwood, and I am really psyched about having that photo as the cover—it's a real chef's fantasy. It's tropical with the palm trees, the fire behind him is great, and he has the most beautiful chef's table in front of him. I think it's something people can get really excited about. Also, the book comes with magnets of food that you can put on your fridge."

7. Longines Watch

"This was a gift my grandfather gave me for my bar mitzvah. I actually just started wearing it again recently because it's not waterproof but I've gotten to that stage where I can remember to take it off when I shower and put it on in the morning and wind it."

8. Alexander Wang Jeans

"I have four pairs of these black ones and I wear them every day—people might think they're the exact same, but I'm actually rotating. I like the leather pockets. Danielle, my girlfriend, is the design director at Alexander Wang—she designed these."

9. Barker Black Velvet Slippers

"They're like house slippers, but you can also wear them out. I'm into the dual functionality of sleepwear and formalwear—I'll wear them around the house and everywhere else."

10. Russ and Daughters French Trout Roe

"That's the good stuff right there. I really like Japanese food—I got into salmon eggs on rice in Japan—and this over rice is what I love. It's not super-fishy, but it has a nice richness."

Todd Selby's first book, The Selby Is in Your Place, was filled with creative types in their luxuriously intimate (and enviable) abodes. In the photographer's second book, Edible Selby, out this week, he turns his lens onto another of his passions: food. Specifically, the book is about those who grow, forage, and prepare food in innovative ways, from a cheese maker who herds buffalo in New Zealand to a man who pulls brown rockfish from a San Francisco storm drain.

"I'm a food obsessive," says Selby. "When I travel, it's all about finding new restaurants and dishes. I'm always thinking, 'What are we doing for lunch? What are we doing for dinner? I want to try this place for appetizers.' It's really my passion." And from pink cashmere blazers to cat-print bathing suits, Selby's essentials echo that restless hunt for the next big thing.